Chapter 371 She lost yet.... She won!

A golden card shone with four radiant stars at the corners.... As it expanded, growing into an immense structure nearly 20 to 25 feet in size.The card's light grew brighter, almost blinding before, zooming toward Liora's charred and broken body. The card passed through her....

"Grrrrrrrr....."

A deep, guttural growl emerged from the card, reverberating through the air.

A figure began to step out.... It was a wolf... no, it was a beast—towering at nearly 20 feet tall, its massive form both majestic and terrifying.

The creature's fur was a mesmerizing blend of blood-red and pitch-black, each strand gleaming ominously under the light of the card. Its eyes, a hypnotic swirl of colours, locked onto... Aether! Enjoy new stories from empire

The beast bared its teeth, each one sharp enough to cleave through the stone... Its claws, impossibly long and wickedly curved, dug into the rocky ground as if it were nothing but soft clay.

"HHHHOOOOOWWWWWWWLLLLLLL"

The wolf's howl erupted from its throat, a sound so fierce and powerful.

THUNNNDDEERRRRR!!!

A massive bolt of lightning descended from the dark clouds, striking the wolf's towering form with a deafening roar.... yet—when the smoke cleared—there stood the beast... untouched... unscathed as if the lightning had been nothing more than a gentle breeze.

Gulp

Aether gulped.... four stars meant Liora was a level 45 to 60.... easily twice his own Level!!

Aether blinked, but in the heartbeat that his eyes were closed, the beast had already moved..... Faster than a shadow, it was upon him.

"Grrrr...." The beast's growl was low and menacing.... Without warning, it lunged its speed blurring. Before Aether could even think, let alone react, he was violently thrown!

"W-What the...!" Aether's voice was a strangled gasp, he tried to regain control, but the wolf appeared again and,

SLAM!!!

His body crashed into the ground with bone-shattering force, the impact so violent that the rocky surface beneath him cracked and shattered like glass.

Crack!

Cough, cough

His vision blurred as he coughed violently, blood splattering from his mouth.

She was too fast!! It was as if she was moving in a different dimension.

But Aether's lips twisted into a grin, "Hehe—Cough, Cough..."... was cut short as more blood flowed from his nose, ears, and eyes, the taste of iron sharp on his tongue.

Panic clawed at the edges of his mind as he looked down, horror flooding through him at the sight of his own body, riddled with gaping, bloody holes. He hadn't even felt the claws tear through him until now...

"Grrrrr....."

The growl reached his ears again, pulling him back to the present.

This was no longer the woman he knew..... this was a predator, pure and simple, a creature of the wild with no trace of humanity left.

A beast that hunts its prey!!

A beast driven by nothing but the primal urge to kill!!

Aether's mind raced as the truth of Liora's words sank in... either take her or die here.

She had surrendered her very sanity, her humanity... just to test his worth, and if he failed... he would die here, torn apart by the beast she had become.

He wiped the blood from his lips, the crimson streaking across his hand like red paint, "Hehe—"

CHUUCCCKK!!!

BBBOOOOMMMM!!!

Before he could finish, the beast's massive paw slammed down on him with the force of a freight train.

The impact sent him rocketing through the air. He smashed into a nearby wall, the stone crumbling under the force of his impact, and he was driven deep into the rock, debris raining down around him.

Tuck, Tuck...

Seeing no sign of life, a twisted grin spread across the beast's muzzle.

"Grrrrllll," she growled, the sound low and guttural, almost a laugh, as she began to advance, her intent clear.... She was going to tear him apart, piece by piece, and devour him.

Just then,

"He..."

!~Ding~!

[Survival rate: 46.3%↑]

"H...Heh..... Hehehe..... I-It hur-hehe-ts... It hurts, Liora... Hehe... It really hurts...."

Aether's voice was weak, barely more than a whisper, but there was something in it—something dark and unsettling.

The beast paused.... Something was wrong.

Without warning, her body moved on instinct, leaping to the side as a deep sense of dread filled her, even though she hadn't seen any immediate threat.

Sssshhhhhhnnngggg...

A thin, red blade sliced through the air where she had stood just moments before, embedding itself deep into the wall with deadly precision.

The beast's growl deepened, a rumble of fury as her muscles tensed. She turned her gaze towards the source of the attack, her eyes narrowing as she focused on the hole in the wall.

"Oceanic.... Tempest"

The voice that echoed through the mountain was cold and detached.

Above, the sky hundreds of hundred thin, red swords materialized, hovering in the air like a storm of blades, each one poised and ready to strike.

"GGRRRRRRR!!"

The beast's growl intensified... Her instincts still remembered how she was impaled by that thing!!

Crack, Crack....

As more debris fell from the shattered wall... Aether slowly emerged from the hole, his movements deliberate, his gaze cold and haughty.

Thud

His feet hit the ground heavily, and he straightened, his eyes locking onto the beast that glared back at him, her eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Hehe...." Aether's smile was unsettling, a mix of dark amusement.

His voice, though warm, held an edge of steel as he spoke, "Damn woman, you really asked for this... I won't go easy on you just because you're a woman..." With a snap, the hovering swords, shot forward in unison, streaking through the air towards the wolf.

The wolf growled a deep, resonant sound that echoed through the mountain. Her instincts screamed at her to move, to dodge the incoming attack, and she did so with speed and agility.

Aether watched her with a cold, calculating gaze, a hint of satisfaction playing across his features as he observed her reactions.

"Twilight Eclipse," he whispered.

A white bow appeared in his hand... He took aim, his eyes narrowing as he focused on his target.

With a swift release, the arrow shot forward to the mark.... one of the red sword tips, altered its trajectory, ricocheting off... as it stabbed into the wolf's leg.

"Howwwwllllll!!"

The wolf howled in pain, her eyes widening in shock and disbelief....

Aether smirked, though he couldn't yet control those ethereal weapons with the finesse of Aqualina. He was learning, adapting with every moment, and this... this was just the beginning of his journey.

"Hehe..." Aether's grin widened, a wicked gleam in his eyes as he vanished, only to reappear before the monstrous wolf in an instant. The wolf, her instincts razor-sharp, lunged at him with a ferocity that could rip through steel.

But Aether was ready...

'Increase Level!'

[Level: 39↑]

Aether's hand shot out, catching the beast's massive jaws mere inches from his face. The raw strength of the wolf was immense, but Aether twisted his body, using her own momentum against her. With a powerful heave, he flung her away, her massive form crashing into the earth!!

The ground trembled as the wolf skidded to a halt, her claws digging deep into the rocky terrain to regain her balance.

"Grlll!"

She growled, low and dangerous, her eyes narrowing in fury at this defiant human.

"I know how to treat a beast~" Aether taunted, his voice dripping with confidence. "Come at me~" He beckoned with a mocking smile, his hands moving swiftly as he summoned ice spears, launching them toward the wolf with deadly precision.

The wolf dodged the icy projectiles with fluid grace. But just as she twisted to avoid the last spear, Aether used the bow again.... released it with a sharp twang of the bowstring.

"HHOOOWWWW!!"

The arrow stabbed the wolf's ear, and she howled in agony!

"Are you in pain?..." Aether's voice dripped with feigned pity, his eyes gleaming with amusement. But then his expression shifted, darkened, as he pointed to his own bloodied, battered body. "Me too~" he whispered, his voice laced with a twisted kind of joy.

The wolf snarled, her fury mounting as she glared at him, but then

BOOM!

Her wounded ear exploded, blood spraying across the battlefield as the agony ripped through her.

"HHOOOWWWWLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"

Her ears blasted!

Aether giggled, a sound both eerie and childlike in its delight. "Told you... You're just a beast..."

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Chuckk

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Tang

Chucckkkk

The battle that followed was nothing short of a savage dance, each movement filled with a lethal grace as they clashed. Blood sprayed across the rocky ground as wounds opened on both their bodies, yet neither relented.

They fought with wild abandon, smiles etched onto their faces, fueled by the thrill of battle.

The wolf, despite her superior strength, found herself both enraged and exhilarated by this man... a human, no less.... who not only defied her but matched her blow for blow.

Each second, he seemed to grow stronger, more confident, and she could see it in his eyes—that burning desire to win.... to dominate!!

"Take that!!" Aether roared, flames bursting from his palms as he hurled them toward the wolf's face.

The beast howled, the searing heat blinding her as she swatted at the flames with her massive paws. But Aether was relentless. Spears followed flames, and he moved like a wraith, his attacks a blur of fire and steel.

The wolf leapt into the air, preparing to strike. But just as she was about to descend upon him with the force of a falling meteor, she realized... Aether was gone.

"??"

Confusion flashed through her mind, her eyes scanning the battlefield for any sign of him.

Then, a voice, teasing and playful, reached her ears.

"Are you looking for me?"

Aether was perched atop her, his grip tight on her fur as he slammed her head down with a force that would have shattered stone.

BOOM!

The ground shook, but the wolf barely felt it.

"Not feeling that, huh?" Aether's smile grew darker, more sinister. "Let's see how you handle this..."

"Increase Level"

BOOM!

"Increase Level"

BOOOMM!!

"HOOOWWWWWW!!"

The wolf let out a heart-wrenching howl of pain as her head began to feel unsteady, her vision blurring into a disorienting haze. Aether smirked, his eyes gleaming with a mix of satisfaction and..... sadistic pleasure.

Just as he leapt gracefully from her back, the air was filled with a series of...

Chuck

Chuck

Chuck

Chuck

The red swords pierced through her four powerful legs in perfect synchronization, pinning her massive body to the ground.

"HHHOOOOWWWlllllll..."

The wolf howled, her voice filled with a mixture of rage and desperation. Blood pooled beneath her, her once-mighty body trembling as she tried to break free from the swords that held her down. But even as she struggled, something flickered in her eyes.... a spark of recognition.

"A-Aether?" The voice that came from the beast was weak, trembling with a mixture of confusion and pain.

Liora's consciousness had returned, her eyes wide as they took in the devastation around her.... the shattered ground, the blood-soaked earth, and her own bloody body. She tried to move, but her limbs refused to obey, every inch of her aching with the effort.

She looked up at... a man, who stood over her with a cold, calculating gaze, a small smile playing on his bloodied lips. He was a sight to behold—covered in blood, his body a canvas of wounds, yet he stood tall with pride and haughtiness.

"Liora~ You made me bleed~" His voice was a seductive purr, sending shivers down her spine despite the pain.

'I-I really couldn't win against this weak man... ah,' she thought.

Aether, despite being undeniably weaker in raw power and levels far below Liora's, stood tall... winning her!

Finally,

"I-I... cough... I accept my d-d....defeat...." Her voice was frail, but there was no sadness in her tone..... Instead, it was filled with a swelling pride—pride in herself for finding such a worthy partner and pride in him for his relentless spirit. Her heart swelled, knowing that this incredible, tenacious man was hers.

Even more, there was a silent determination burning in her eyes, a flicker of excitement that hadn't been there before. She vowed, deep within her fading consciousness, that one day she would defeat him.

As her mind slipped into unconsciousness... she knew she had found someone truly extraordinary!!!

[+4000 AP]

[+4000 AP]

[+4000 AP]

[+4000 AP]

[+4000 AP]

[+4000 AP]

[+4000 AP]

[+4000 AP]

[+4000 AP]

.......

.....

.....

.....

...

[Error]

[Sigh]

[Warning: Reached:- +495,000 AP. Hereafter, only the seduction completion point will be considered.]

Aether glanced at the pitiful log that appeared before him, but he dismissed it with a small sigh.

He looked down at Liora who was about to die, he uttered, "Blessed Aegis"